Spinal Cord Injury News and Research

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A spinal cord injury usually begins with a sudden, traumatic blow to the spine that fractures or dislocates vertebrae. The damage begins at the moment of injury when displaced bone fragments, disc material, or ligaments bruise or tear into spinal cord tissue. Most injuries to the spinal cord don't completely sever it. Instead, an injury is more likely to cause fractures and compression of the vertebrae, which then crush and destroy the axons, extensions of nerve cells that carry signals up and down the spinal cord between the brain and the rest of the body. An injury to the spinal cord can damage a few, many, or almost all of these axons. Some injuries will allow almost complete recovery. Others will result in complete paralysis.

Patient advocacy groups, home medical associations call for end to Medicare competitive bidding program

In a letter signed by 58 patient advocacy groups and home medical equipment associations, the American Association for Homecare urged Congress to pass H.R. 3790, a bill to repeal the Medicare competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment in a budget-neutral manner. The bill currently has 252 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives.

17 Jul 2010

ArmaGen uses BBB molecular Trojan horse platform technology to create brain penetrating form of human EPO

Human erythropoietin (EPO) is a potent neuroprotective agent for multiple brain disorders, including stroke, brain and spinal cord injury, and Parkinson's disease. However, EPO drug development for the brain is limited, because EPO does not cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In acute stroke or brain injury, the BBB is intact in the early hours after the insult when neuroprotection is still possible. Therefore, large molecule biopharmaceuticals such as EPO must be re-engineered to enable BBB transport.

17 Jul 2010

VCU Medical Center ranked in 2010-2011 Best Hospitals

The Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center on Thursday was ranked in the 2010-2011 Best Hospitals in the country by U.S. News and World Report, making it one of 152 medical centers nationwide selected out of nearly 2,000 eligible institutions.

16 Jul 2010

Medtronic launches educational campaign to promote awareness on spasticity

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the launch of an educational campaign, called Release Your Potential, that is designed to raise awareness of spasticity, a condition that makes it difficult to voluntarily relax muscles.

14 Jul 2010

Article related to MN-166 mechanism of action included in PNAS USA

MediciNova Inc, a biopharmaceutical company publicly traded on the NASDAQ Global Market and the Hercules Market of the Osaka Securities Exchange (Code Number:4875), today reported that the June 22, 2010 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA included an article related to the mechanism of action of MN-166 (ibudilast), as an emerging therapeutic for neurological disorders.

8 Jul 2010

ERA-Net NEURON names winners of 2009 Excellent Paper in Neuroscience award for young scientists

ERA-Net NEURON, an initiative of the European Commission aimed at advancing transnational European research in the field of disease-related neuroscience, announced today the winners of the Excellent Paper in Neuroscience award for young scientists for the year 2009.

6 Jul 2010

Experts to discuss latest advancements in neurological disorders at Neurorehabilitation Symposium

Scientists and engineers from around the globe will gather in August to share new information regarding neurorehabilitation advances for people with neurological movement disorders, including spinal cord and brain injures.

2 Jul 2010

Neuralstem announces completion of $10 million registered direct offering

Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE Amex: CUR) announced that it has completed its previously announced registered direct offering of $10 million of units to institutional investors. The units were priced at $2.80 and consisted of: (i) one share of common stock, and (ii) 3/4 common stock purchase warrant. The warrants have an exercise price of $3.25 and a term of three years. Net proceeds from this offering, after deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses, total approximately $9.2 million. All of the securities were offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement.

1 Jul 2010

Sirnaomics receives NIH SBIR grants to advance siRNA therapeutics for critical human diseases

Sirnaomics, Inc. announced today that the company has received two SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) grants from National Cancer Institute (NCI) and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), of National Institute of Health (NIH). Sirnaomics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company founded in early 2007, is dedicated to developing RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics for treatment of critical human diseases.

30 Jun 2010

Athersys, CSCRM and CWRU receive $1M to advance MultiStem therapy for SCI

Athersys, Inc. and its collaborators, including the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Case Western Reserve University, announced today that they have been awarded $1 million through the Ohio Third Frontier Biomedical Program to support research into the treatment of spinal cord injury with MultiStem, Athersys' proprietary stem cell product candidate.

25 Jun 2010

Neuralstem signs definitive agreements to sell $10M of units in registered-direct offering

Neuralstem, Inc. announced today that it has entered into definitive agreements to sell $10 million of units at $2.80 per unit in a registered-direct offering to institutional investors. The units consist of: (i) one share of common stock, and (ii) 3/4 common stock purchase warrant. The warrants have an exercise price of $3.25 and a term of three years.

25 Jun 2010

Access to Healthcare signs contract with World Diabetes Foundation for new healthcare project in India

Coloplast's donation programme Access to Healthcare just signed a contract with the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) about a new healthcare project in India. The project aims to improve the treatment of diabetic wounds.

22 Jun 2010

Antibody treatment could significantly improve lives following spinal cord injury: Researchers

The United States Department of Defense Spinal Cord Injury Research Program has announced a grant of more than a million dollars U.S. to support research at the Robarts Research Institute at The University of Western Ontario (Western). The spinal cord injury research team of Gregory Dekaban, Arthur Brown, Lynne Weaver and Paula Foster, in collaboration with Brian Kwon of the University of British Columbia and Kyle Petersen of the U.S. Naval Medical Research Center, is working on a new therapy designed to limit the damage caused by inflammation immediately following spinal cord injury.

22 Jun 2010

Adult stem cell infusion during bypass surgery improves heart function: Study

Stem cell scientists from around the world gathered at the International Society of Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) in San Francisco to exchange information about the latest treatments with stem cells. An American company, TCA Cellular Therapy, LLC announced its FDA clinical trial results using adult stem cells in patients with history of a heart attack during open heart surgery.

18 Jun 2010

Shenzhen Beike Biotechnology forms joint venture with SiriCell Technologies

Shenzhen Beike Biotechnology Co. Ltd., China's leading stem cell research and regenerative medicine company, announced the formation of Beike Holdings Limited a joint venture with Bangkok-based SiriCell Technologies, Inc. Beike Holdings, which is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, will focus primarily on the establishment of new international subsidiaries and the development of collaborative hospital partnerships with Southeast Asia's leading healthcare providers.

11 Jun 2010

Neutralizing inhibitory molecules does not improve regeneration in damaged spinal axons

Neuroscientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have found that removing three key inhibitory molecules from myelin - the insulating material that surrounds nerve cell fibers - does not significantly boost the ability of injured spinal axons to regenerate and restore themselves to full function.

10 Jun 2010

2010 Independence Expo to promote active living and independence for aged and disabled Americans

United Spinal Association presents the 2010 Independence Expo – Long Island, the region's premier lifestyle-enhancing Expo designed to promote active living and independence for all people with disabilities and aging Americans.

10 Jun 2010

Sialidase improves nerve regrowth, motor recovery and nervous system function: Researchers

Once damaged, nerves in the spinal cord normally cannot grow back and the only drug approved for treating these injuries does not enable nerve regrowth. Publishing online this week in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine show that treating injured rat spinal cords with an enzyme, sialidase, improves nerve regrowth, motor recovery and nervous system function.

10 Jun 2010

NYBA recognizes Acorda Therapeutics President with The Cures Start Here Business Leader of the Year Award

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that Ron Cohen, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, is the recipient of the New York Biotechnology Association "The Cures Start Here" Business Leader of the Year Award. The award is presented for outstanding service to the patient community and to NYBA.

8 Jun 2010

$UC-MSCT improves symptoms, biochemical values in patients with severe refractory SLE: Study$

UC-MSCT improves symptoms, biochemical values in patients with severe refractory SLE: Study

A new study shows that umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell transplant may improve symptoms and biochemical values in patients with severe refractory systemic lupus erythematosus.

8 Jun 2010

Spinal Cord Injury News and Research

Further Reading

Patient advocacy groups, home medical associations call for end to Medicare competitive bidding program

ArmaGen uses BBB molecular Trojan horse platform technology to create brain penetrating form of human EPO

VCU Medical Center ranked in 2010-2011 Best Hospitals

Medtronic launches educational campaign to promote awareness on spasticity

Article related to MN-166 mechanism of action included in PNAS USA

ERA-Net NEURON names winners of 2009 Excellent Paper in Neuroscience award for young scientists

Experts to discuss latest advancements in neurological disorders at Neurorehabilitation Symposium

Neuralstem announces completion of $10 million registered direct offering

Sirnaomics receives NIH SBIR grants to advance siRNA therapeutics for critical human diseases

Athersys, CSCRM and CWRU receive $1M to advance MultiStem therapy for SCI

Neuralstem signs definitive agreements to sell $10M of units in registered-direct offering

Access to Healthcare signs contract with World Diabetes Foundation for new healthcare project in India

Antibody treatment could significantly improve lives following spinal cord injury: Researchers

Adult stem cell infusion during bypass surgery improves heart function: Study

Shenzhen Beike Biotechnology forms joint venture with SiriCell Technologies

Neutralizing inhibitory molecules does not improve regeneration in damaged spinal axons

2010 Independence Expo to promote active living and independence for aged and disabled Americans

Sialidase improves nerve regrowth, motor recovery and nervous system function: Researchers

NYBA recognizes Acorda Therapeutics President with The Cures Start Here Business Leader of the Year Award

UC-MSCT improves symptoms, biochemical values in patients with severe refractory SLE: Study

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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